Red
Tide

in
Destin

From time to time,
Destin is affected by a natural phenomenon known as
red tide. Red tide occurs when phytoplankton, tiny
plant-like organisms, flourish in local waters. This
phenomenon is called red tide because in extreme
cases the water will take on a reddish-brown color.
Large numbers of phytoplankton, known as blooms, can
have ill effects on our marine environment, leading
to the death of many marine animals, including fish
and dolphins.

The most common
culprit for red tide in the Destin area is an
organism known as G. breve. This organism does not
usually cause harm to people, unless they eat
shellfish infected with the G. breve toxin. During
red tides, shellfish harvesting is closed in local
waters to prevent such illness. Some people report
respiratory irritation during red tides. People with
sensitive skin may experience an itching sensation
when swimming during red tide.

Red tides can make
our usually beautiful, pristine environment very
unpleasant. When fish kills occur, the fish carcasses
will remain in the water for a week or two, resulting
in a nasty odor. The Florida Marine Research
Institute does regular sampling in our waters to
determine if the red tide organism is present. Our
red tide status can be found at the FMRI red tide web
page. Click on the "Red Tide Current Status
Information Page" link in the middle of the
page.

Unfortunately,
many people believe that red tides are getting more
frequent and more severe over the years. A major
contributing factor the the worsening of red tides in
Choctawhatchee Bay is nutrient pollution. There are a
variety of causes for nutrient pollution, including
storm water runoff and agricultural runoff from
plants and farms in Alabama. The Choctawhatchee Bay
Watershed Partnership is conducting a study of the
bay to determine the exact causes of the pollution
and methods to correct and prevent it.

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